What is a John Melville painting worth?
1902–1986 · Price guide from past auction results
Based on 15 priced auction sales, works by John Melville have sold for a median of $1,961Sign up free to see. Half of them sold between $880Sign up free to see and $2,464Sign up free to see. For paintings alone, the median is $2,001Sign up free to see across 12 sales. In the last five years the median was $1,206Sign up free to see across 9 sales. These are past auction results, not a valuation: medium, size, condition and provenance all change what a particular work brings.
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John Melville prices by medium
- Auction results
- 15
- Sold rate
- 100%
- Active at auction
- 2020–2026
- Median price
- $2kSign up free to see
- Record price
- $5.5kSign up free to see A Grain of The Absolute, 1967, Lyon & Turnbull, Oct 2021
| Medium | Priced sales | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 12 | $1.1k–$2.5kSign up free to see | $2kSign up free to see |
Top auction houses: Lyon & Turnbull (11), Sworders (2), Anderson & Garland (1)
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Typical range is the middle half of priced sales (USD at the sale-date rate). Past auction results, not a valuation.
Prices by size
| Size (longest side) | Priced sales | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-size (30–75 cm) | 6 | $606–$890Sign up free to see | $773Sign up free to see |
| Large (75–150 cm) | 6 | $2.1k–$2.6kSign up free to see | $2.3kSign up free to see |
Recent John Melville sales
- Minotaur, monotype — $108Sign up free to see, Anderson & Garland, Jan 8, 2026
- PORTRAIT OF A DARK HAIRED WOMAN, Oil on canvas — $684Sign up free to see, Lyon & Turnbull, Aug 13, 2025
- Reclining Figure, charcoal and pastel on paper — $580Sign up free to see, Lyon & Turnbull, Oct 27, 2023
- Untitled, oil on canvas 80 x 56.5cm — $1,339Sign up free to see, Sworders, Oct 17, 2023
- Boy In A Blue Blazer — $2,477Sign up free to see, Lawrences Auctioneers, Jan 18, 2023
- The Tease, 1967, oil on canvas — $2,041Sign up free to see, Lyon & Turnbull, Apr 29, 2022
- Tree of Hope, 1973, oil on hessian — $861Sign up free to see, Lyon & Turnbull, Oct 29, 2021
- Contentment, circa 1955, oil on board — $1,206Sign up free to see, Lyon & Turnbull, Oct 29, 2021
Questions about John Melville prices
What is a John Melville painting worth?
Based on 15 priced auction sales recorded by ArtSell, works by John Melville have sold for a median of $1,961, and half of them sold between $880 and $2,464. For paintings alone the median is $2,001 (12 sales). Medium, size, condition, subject and provenance all affect the price of a particular work; these are past auction results, not a valuation.
What is the most expensive work by John Melville sold at auction?
The highest price in ArtSell’s records is $5,513 for “A Grain of The Absolute, 1967” at Lyon & Turnbull in October 2021.
How often do John Melville works sell at auction?
100% of the 15 lots recorded between 2020 and 2026 sold.
How can I sell a John Melville painting?
Request a free auction estimate on ArtSell: send photos and details, and our specialists will reply with an estimate. There is no obligation.
ArtSell has recorded 15 auction results for John Melville between 2020 and 2026, and 15 of them sold (100%).
Sell a John Melville paintingAll John Melville auction resultsPrice chartJohn Melville paintingsFree auction estimate